With the proliferation of wireless products and services, device manufacturers are forced to aggressively pursue cost reduction opportunities in the manufacturing and assembly of wireless device components. Reduction of costs associated with wireless antennas may thus be an important factor in staying competitive. Implementation of a cost-effective antenna may become even more critical as new features and functionalities are added to wireless devices that require more sophisticated antennas.
An internal antenna for a wireless device is typically manufactured as either a stamped metal element or as a flex-circuit antenna on a plastic carrier. Both techniques suffer from a high cost of production. The stamped metal element and the plastic carrier both require expensive and time consuming tooling for high volume production. Furthermore, while the flex-circuit antenna may be readily fabricated using a standard etching process, this technique is not suited for high-volume and cost-efficient production needs.